Water-elevator.



J. W. THOMPSON & J. P. HATHAWAY.

WATER ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1911.

1,002,472, Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

lnventot O Attorneys COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60-. WASHINGTON 01C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. THOMPSON AND JAMES F. I-IATI-IAWAY, 0F HARLINGEN, TEXAS.

WATER-ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, JAMES W. THOMP- SON and JAMES F. HATHAWAY, citizens of the United States, residing at Harlingen, in the county of Cameron, State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Water-Elevator, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in water elevators particularly of the type employing an endless belt of buckets.

The invention has for its object to pro mote effectiveness of operation as relates to elevating and delivering the water.

A further object of the invention is to provide for readily accommodating the movement or action of the elevating buckets to the direction assumed thereby in engaging the water at the uptake-end of the chute or flume as well as at the down-take end thereof.

A still further object is to cause the buckets to readily conform and take effective position upon their carrying belt as they move through the legs of the chute or flume for their advantageous action in performing the water-elevating operation, as well as when they are in descent or empty.

A still further object of the invention is to carry out these ends in a simple, economic and effective manner.

The invention consists of certain instrumentalities and features, substantially as hereinafter fully disclosed and defined by the claims.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of our invention, wherein it will be understood, that various changes and modifications as relates to the detailed construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention may be made: Figure 1 is an elevational section thereof. Fig. '2 is an irregular sectional view produced upon the dotted sectionalline 22, viewing in the direction as indicated by the arows. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of a bucket and adjunctive attaching or pivoting memher.

In carrying out our invention, we provide .a' suitable chute or flume 1 which is preferably formed with duplicate legs or compartments 2 so arranged that a central longitudinal space intervenes therebetween, this structure, however, not having any particular merit attaching thereto other than lightness, being skeleton like in character. The chute or flume has a suitable uptake or lower end 8 and at its upper end a spout or nose 4 adapted to suitably receive the water from the tilting buckets and deliver said water at the elevation to which it has been lifted by the buckets.

An endless belt of buckets, designated generally as 5 and the individual buckets as 5 the belt proper 6 being preferably of the link-type, encompasses sprocket-pulleys 7 and 8, the shafts 9 and 10 thereof, respectively, being journaled or mounted in suitable bearings, the upper shaft bearings 11 being carried by opposed, preferably, vertical supports or members 12 suitably secured to cross-pieces 13, or otherwise, the cross pieces being suitably secured to the flume or chute-casing. The detailed matters or parts pertaining to these upper shaft-supports, as well as the way of supporting the lower shaft, may all be of any suitable devising, as the same constitute no part of our invention.

A suitable band-pulley 14': is carried by the upper sprocket-pulley shaft 9, and, in practice, is driven from any suitable motor (not shown) through an encompassing belt not shown.

The endless belt 6, which, as stated, is of the link-type, has its forming links, designated as 6, themselves linked or flexibly connected together by intermediate members 6 preferably in the form of eye-ended or terminated articulating connections whose eye-forming terminals receive the end portions of the links. These articulating plate connections have erected thereon outstanding preferably eye-ended or terminated studs 6, the purpose of which will presently appear.

The buckets 5 are each constructed of preferably approximately U-shaped members, secured together back to back, thus being preferably H-shaped in general outline,

Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

therein as will be readilyappreciated. The

cross-members forming the bottoms of the buckets 5 have their lateral edges which face or rest next to the belt 6 suitably notched as 5 to receive or conform to the preferably raised or reinforced surfaces 5 of certain of the articulating connections 6 between the links 6* of the belt 6. By this arrangement the buckets are allowed to rest fiush with the inner surfaces of the chutecasing and accordingly prevent the back passage of the water and its more eifective elevation thereby, as well as aid in the retention of the buckets as against any lateral movement, which might result in causing a binding action between the buckets and the sides of the fiume or chute.

The buckets 5 have secured to their bottoms outstanding preferably looped members or arms 15 slightly slanted from the perpendicular as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, said looped members or arms having pivotal connection, as at 16 with the outstanding studs 6 of certain of the articulating connections between links 6 of the belt 6 to allow of a limited outwardly swinging movement of the buckets with respect to said belt as the latter makes its turns espe- .cially at the lower or uptake end of the fiume or chute. The deflection or inclination of the arms or members 15 provides for greater than forty-five degrees to the perpendicular, the lower end of the chute or fiume being placed or disposed in the water and the upper end of the fiume or chute being suitably propped, or resting against an embankment, or surface above the point from which it may be desired to elevate or raise the water, according to circumstances. By now suitably actuating the belt-driven pulley 14, the endless belt of buckets will re ceive the requisite movement to enable the buckets thereof to engage and efiect the required elevation of the Water, the latter being taken up through the lower leg or compartment of the fiume or chute.

The advantages and benefits of, our invention have been made fully apparent, it is believed from the foregoing description and accompanying illustration or drawing,

the same being extremely simple in construction, including but few parts, effective in operation and readily applied for use, While it is inexpensive of manufacture.

WVhat is claimed as new is:

l. A device of the character described, including an endless belt of buckets, a fiume or chute receiving said belt of buckets, means encompassed by said belt of buckets for actuating the same, arranged in said fiume, said buckets each being of an approximately H outline and having pivotal connection with their carrying belt.

I 2. A device of the character described, in-

cluding an endless belt of buckets, said buckets, each being of an approximately H- outline, and means effecting connection therebetween and their carrying belt.

3. A device of the character described, including an endless belt of buckets each bucket having its bottom about midway the length of its lateral portions, said buckets, each having a pivotal connection with its carrying belt, said connection embracing an outstanding member fixed to the bucketbottom and pivoted at one end with respect to said belt.

4. A device of the character described, including an endless belt of buckets each bucket having its bottom about midway the length of its lateral portions, and pivotal connection between said buckets and their carrying belt, embracing outstanding members fixed to the bucket-bottoms, and studs fixed to said belt, said outstanding members being pivoted to said studs.

5. A device of the character described, including an endless belt of buckets, the belt being of the link-type, certain of the links having raised surfaces, said buckets being of H-outline, the intermediate member of which is provided in a lateral edge thereof with a notch receiving a link raised surface.

6. A device of the character described, including an endless belt of buckets, each bucket having its bottom intermediate the length of its lateral portions, and pivotal connections between said buckets and their carrying belt, said pivotal connections embracing outwardly defiected members fixed to the bucket-bottoms, and studs fixed to certain of the belt-links, said members having their outer ends pivoted to said studs.

7. A device of the character described, in

cluding an endless belt of buckets, each bucket having an outstanding member fixed to the bucket-bottom about centrally thereas our own, We have hereto aifixed our sigof, an outstanding stud fixed to said belt, natures in the presence of two Witnesses. said outstanding member being pivoted to JAMES W. THOMPSON. said stud and having one end extending laterally beyond said stud, and adapted to en- JAMES HATHAWVAY' gage the belt to restrict the outward move- Witnesses: ment of the bucket. T. E. MARoHBANKs,

In testimony that We claim the foregoing E. L. FENDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

